By Brittany Schaaf, St. Charles City-County Library
Connections happen every day at the Library, whether it is a reader connecting with a book or strangers connecting with each other at a program. But some of the most powerful connections happen because of the Library’s community partnerships. Let’s highlight some of them below!
Mobile Food Pantry: A new partnership with the St. Louis Area Foodbank begins in August at the Deer Run Branch. From 10:30 am to 11:30 am on the 4th Wednesday of the month, individuals with limited access to healthy food and resources can shop the Food on the Move walk-through, shopping-style food distribution truck to “shop” for the foods they need. Verification of personal information is not required to participate.
Diaper Bank Distribution: Thanks to a partnership between the Friends of the Library and the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, three Library branches provide families in need with a monthly supply of diapers sizes newborn to 6 and training pants 2T to 4T as well as period products.
This service is intended for families at 200% of the poverty level or below and children under the age of 4. Eligible families can pick up a pre-packaged set of diapers once a month for each child in their immediate household at the Spencer Road Branch, Kathryn Linnemann Branch, and Middendorf-Kredell Branch during all operating hours.
Each September, the Library hosts a diaper drive (stay tuned for more information about this year’s drive). Last year, the community donated 21,000 items. Learn more at stchlibrary.org/community-partnerships.
See the Stars: Thanks to a partnership with the Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri, library cardholders can borrow telescopes and binoculars from the Library of Things collection. Explore these items and more on our website: stchlibrary.org/library-things.
We would need another three pages to talk about all of the amazing programming partnerships the Library offers throughout the year, such as American Sign Language Story Time with Deaf Inc, free vision screenings with Kidsight, programs for seniors with BJC and Oasis, and so many more.
Explore our calendar at stchlibrary.org/events for these events and more, including the following, held at the Boone’s Trail and Augusta branches:
Discover Crafting: Fall Decoupage*, Tuesday, September 1: 10 to 11 a.m. or Thursday, September 3: 10 to 11 a.m. Boone’s Trail Branch - adults. Join us to create 2 fall/Halloween decoupage projects using either 4”x4” canvases or wooden fall-themed cutouts. This is a repeated event; please sign up for only one session.
Crafting Connections - I Love Quilts!*, Tuesday, September 1: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults. What will you create? Meet other quilt lovers at this monthly event.
Canasta - Hand & Foot*, Tuesdays, September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: 1 to 3:30 p.m. and Thursdays, September 3, 10, 17, 24: 1 to 3:30 p.m. Boone’s Trail Branch - adults. Need to get out of the house? Learn to play Hand & Foot Canasta!
Coffee and Conversation, Thursdays, September 3, 10, 17, 24: 9 to 10 a.m. Augusta Branch - adults. Enjoy a cup of coffee, a sweet treat, and conversation with others in the community.
Crafting Connections - Yarn Arts, Thursdays, September 3, 10, 17, 24: 2 to 4 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults and teens. Other yarn enthusiasts will keep you company while you work on your knit, crochet, or embroidery project.
"Read to a Dog" - Tail Waggers - Love on a Leash*, Thursday, September 10: 6 to 7 p.m. Boone’s Trail Branch - children. Kids can practice reading aloud to an attentive, adorable dog.
Make-It-Monday*, Monday, September 14: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults. Grab a friend, come to the Augusta Branch, and work on your unfinished projects! Spend all day or just a little while.
DIY Crafts: Autumn Tree Decor*, Monday, September 14: 2 to 3:30 p.m.; Tuesday, September 15: 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 19: 10 to 11:30 a.m.; Monday, September 21: 10:30 a.m to 12 p.m. Boone’s Trail Branch - adults. Create a colorful autumn tree sign approximately 7 inches high (stand/easel not included). This is a repeated event; please sign up for only one session.
Book Discussion - "The Cottingley Secret” by Hazel Gaynor*, Monday, September 14: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Boone's Trail Branch - adults. 1917 - When two young cousins claim to have photographed fairies in their garden, they become a national sensation when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle declares them real. The cousins keep their secret about the photo for decades until they decide it’s time to tell the truth. 100 years later - Olivia discovers an old manuscript and photograph that lead her to realize how the fairy story intertwines with hers, connecting past to present, and blurring what is real and what is imagined.
English Paper Piecing*, Tuesday, September 15: 2 to 4 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults. Learn how to English Paper Piece, a fun method of sewing
fabric pieces together.
Book Discussion - "Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest” by Fawn Weaver*, Thursday, September 17: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Boone's Trail Branch - adults. This novel unveils the hidden narrative behind one of America’s most iconic whiskey brands. It’s an exploration set in the present day, delving into the life and legacy of Nearest Green, the African American distilling genius who played a pivotal role in the creation of the whiskey that bears Jack Daniel’s name.
Book Discussion: “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick*, Monday, September 21: 2 to 3 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults. Imagine when you open your front door and there is a small wooden box which holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live. Every person on the continent receives the same box, and the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Everyone faces the same shocking choice; do they wish to know how long they will live, and if so, what will they do with that knowledge?
Playtime at the Library, Thursday, September 24: 10 to 10:30 a.m. Boone’s Trail Branch - toddlers and babies. Enjoy station activities that encourage early literacy development through talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing! We will have toys, books, and activities designed for babies, toddlers, and their caregivers.
Needle Felted Pumpkin*, Thursday, September 24: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Augusta Branch - adults and teens. Use special needles to create a cute felted pumpkin or Jack-O-Lantern!
*Register at stchlibrary.org/events or call Boone’s Trail at 636-398-6200 or Augusta at 636-228-4855 for more information about classes.
The Boone’s Trail and Augusta branches are open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. All St. Charles City-County Library branches will be closed Monday, September 7 for Labor Day.
